


Don't You Cry No More

by IrisArkytior



Category: Supernatural
Genre: After The Angels Fall, Aftermath of Torture, Angel Mojo, Chuck as God, Don't Forget About Adam, F/F, Heaven's Civil War, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kevin Lives, Kevin is an honorary Winchester, Lucifer's Cage, M/M, Post-Episode: s09e09 Holy Terror, Revenge, Winchester Death Fail
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-18
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-05 02:14:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1088397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrisArkytior/pseuds/IrisArkytior
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The mistake was his. It was his fear of being alone that allowed for this to happen. Now Dean must be the one to find his brother and undo the egregious error that was made in letting Sam obtain his angel pacemaker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Aftermath

All his life, Dean was surrounded by his family. It had been a necessity while he was growing up. After losing Mom in the fire, all he ever had was Sammy and his dad. They were the most important people in his life. And, when Dad died - giving up his own life to make sure that Dean survived - Sam was the only one that was left. Though various people came and went over the years, the one constant was Sam.

After everything they had been through, it couldn’t end like this. No, he would find a way to save his younger brother from the angel that was possessing him. He wasn’t sure who it was, all he knew was that allowing the possession to continue any longer than it had would only cause trouble. And, he had dealt with enough trouble over the years to know that there was a pretty good chance that it would only get worse.

Sam was no longer in the bunker. He wasn’t sure where he was, only that he wasn’t here. There was no reason for him to be here. Dean was left staring at Kevin’s lifeless corpse. That was probably the hardest part; it was necessary for the angel inside Sam (whoever he might be) to kill Kevin. Why? What did he really have to gain from something like that? Dean was missing something; and it probably had to do with where _Sam_ was disappearing to the last few days.

Not knowing what else to do, Dean stood and went to find Crowley. He needed some company and, without knowing of a way to contact Cas, the demon was his only option. Crowley might even know of a way to fix this. Not that he was expecting Crowley to help him in any way; not without giving something in return.

Dean barely saw where he was going. He was simply on autopilot. Didn’t even notice when he was done in the dungeon. Not until Crowley commented on his presence. “Well, if it isn’t Tweedledum,” Crowley said. “And where would we find Tweedledee? Or perhaps Kevin? Always in the mood for torturing him.”

“Not here,” Dean replied sullenly.

“All by your lonesome then?” Crowley asked.

As much as he did not wish it… “Yes.”

“And you came down to see me? Well, don’t I feel special?” the demon preened.

“Can it!” Dean warned. “I’m only down here because I have no other option.”

“Oh, what; did the Moose get on your nerves?” Crowley asked.

That was an interesting way of putting it. “You could say that.”

“Why come complaining to me?” the demon questioned.

“I need your help,” Dean said. He didn’t want to admit that, but he was the only one who could help - that he had immediate access to, of course. Otherwise, it surely would have been Cas that he turned to for help.

“You want my help?” Crowley asked. “Well, I want to get out of here.”

Dean wasn’t so willing to let that happen. If he let Crowley out of here, he would lose whatever chance he had at saving Sam. “Do you really think I’m going to let your slimy ass out of here?” Dean snarled. “You’ve been a thorn in our sides for years, ever since you handed us the damn Colt. You got good people killed over the years, most of whom were innocents.”

“And so have you!” Crowley challenged.

Dean glared at the demon. “Even if I did, it was never on purpose.” That was the difference between the two of them; Dean wasn’t willing to spill innocent blood.

“You’ve been to hell,” Crowley observed. “If I remember the stories correctly, you spent ten years of your forty year stint torturing _innocent_ souls.” Dean glared at him. “Not as _innocent_ as you claim, hmm?”

“Low blow, Crowley!” Dean growled. He never liked thinking about his time in Hell. It was time he would like nothing more than to forget.

“It’s true though,” Crowley, “You might choose to ignore it; but, if not for that feathery friend of yours, you would be one of us. The Moose would probably be hunting you.”

That was probably true. And, the situation they were in now; it probably wouldn’t be happening. Sam _wouldn’t_ be possessed by an angel. He couldn’t think like that though. He needed to find a way to save Sam.

“Would you shut it?” Dean snarled. He wasn’t in the mood for any of Crowley’s shit. All he wanted was his brother back, something that required Crowley’s assistance.

“If I help you, what do I get out of it?” Crowley demanded. “I wouldn’t help you for nothing.”

“How about my eternal gratitude and me not punching the ever-loving shit out of you?” Dean suggested.

“Tempting as that offer is, I think I’d prefer getting back down to Hell,” Crowley replied. “Or, would you prefer Abbadon running things?”

If he was being honest, things _were_ better when Crowley was running things. Destructive as he was, at least they knew what to expect. “And if I allowed you to leave here, you would go back to fighting against us,” Dean grumbled. He glared at Crowley. “Tell me I’m wrong and I’ll consider letting you go.” Crowley was silent. “I thought so.”

“And how do you intend on saving the Moose?” Crowley countered.

That was the part that Dean wasn’t sure about. What could he really do? Research had never been his forte - he left that up to Sam; and later Kevin - instead preferring to fight. He was a man of action. “Unclear at the moment,” Dean said. What was there for him to do? “Now, are you going to help me or not?” And, getting word out to Castiel would be helpful. There might be a way to save Kevin. The longer he waited, the more of a chance there was for Kevin’s soul to be completely severed from his body.

Crowley never got the chance to answer his question. There was a banging from up above. “You know what, hold that thought,” Dean said. He would sooner find out who would be banging on the bunker door than spend time with Crowley. Dean stormed away from the cell that held Crowley and (passing Kevin’s prone form) threw the door open.

He breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Castiel. “You really do have it back, don’t you?” Dean asked.

“For the moment,” Castiel declared, stepping inside.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Dean asked.

“The grace I took was not my own,” Castiel said. “To take the grace of another, it was forbidden. Each grace was specially designed for a specific angel. The power that I have right now will only last so long.”

“Long enough to get back at Metatron?” Dean asked.

“It is possible,” Castiel informed him. “Why?”

So long as Castiel was here, there was a chance that Kevin could be saved. “Something happened,” Dean said. “Something I thought I could stop.”

“Dean,” the angel said sternly.

“Kevin is dead,” Dean replied softly.

“The prophet is...what happened?” Castiel queried.

“I tried telling Sam about what I did, thought he could eject the angel since it was done without his permission,” Dean explained. “Only, he must have become really good at pretending to be Sam because it wasn’t until it was too late that I realized it wasn’t Sam. I’m still not sure who it was.”

“Unless we get a hold of Sam, we might never know,” Castiel stated.

That’s what Dean was afraid of. He was afraid that he would never get his brother back. Dean looked at his angel buddy, realizing something he should have before. “I thought you said that it would be better if you didn’t come back to the bunker.”

“I heard your prayer, Dean,” Castiel said.

It had not been a _direct_ prayer, but Dean did wish that Cas would come back to the bunker. It was the surest way to get the angel back here. “ _Oh_.” He came about… “Can you help Kevin?” Dean asked.

“I might be able to do something,” Castiel said.

Dean gestured over to where Kevin’s body was laying. “He’s over there.”

Castiel knelt down and began looking over Kevin. He placed a hand on Kevin’s forehead and white glow engulfed them.


	2. Archangel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A complication arises when attempting to resurrect Kevin.

The glow subsided after a moment; however, Dean was unsure if Cas was able to do anything to save Kevin. Though his angel mojo appeared to be back, Cas mentioned that there was always a chance for it to fade. It might not be much of a help if Castiel were to lose that power before they dealt with Metatron. And, that wasn’t even the only thing they had to deal with. Bartholomew and Buddy were recruiting, but they weren’t the only one. Two different factions were fighting to take over: Bartholomew and...Malachi? Things were not going to be as easy as Dean hoped they would be.

Castiel stood up. “There is nothing I can do.”

“What?” Dean yelled.

“Kevin Tran can be saved; however, it cannot be done by me,” Castiel explained.

“Who can?” Dean asked in a small voice. He didn’t want to lose Kevin. Now that Sam wasn’t around, the only one he had at the moment was Kevin. He couldn’t...he didn’t want to be alone. “Who can help him?”

“His protector,” Castiel said.

“But, I thought all the archangels were out of commission,” Dean objected. “Michael and Lucifer are in the cage, Raphael died in that civil war of yours, and Gabriel died to protect us and Kali from his asshole of a brother.”

“It appears as if we were mistaken,” Castiel said.

“And?” Dean asked.

“And what?” he asked.

“Which one are we looking at?” Dean wondered.

“I have to assume that it is Gabriel,” Castiel decided.

Gabriel? That… “He died.”

“How many times has he died?” Castiel pointed out.

Three times, at least. Once when he left Heaven; all the angels seemed to be under the assumption that Gabriel was dead. Once when he and Sam killed him at Crawford Hall. Once in Indiana while they were at the Elysian Fields hotel dealing with the gods, as well as Lucifer. “Fair point,” Dean grumbled. “But, would he really ignore what happened with the angels for the sake of staying under the radar? He’d have to care to some extent.”

“I do not know what was going through Gabriel’s head when he made such a decision,” Castiel said. “He must have his reasons for disappearing.”

“Yeah, nothing productive,” Dean grumbled. As much as he hated Gabriel, there was no way that he could ever deny that the Trickster angel was the least douchy of the four archangels. Gabriel was semi-decent, when he wasn’t pranking the hell of them. “Where is he then? If Gabriel was Kevin’s archangel protector, why wasn’t he around to keep the angel possessing my brother from killing Kevin? Chuck had Raphael as a protector and you always said that every prophet had an archangel protector.”

“That is true,” Cas acknowledged. “However, Hester and Inias were acting as surrogates for Gabriel when Kevin was called to be the keeper of the Word of God. He did not need to make an appearance so long as there was someone watching over him. You and Sam were always able to keep an eye on Kevin, so he was not needed as much as Chuck was in need of Raphael.”

Okay, so maybe that would work. “What about the year that you and I were locked away in Purgatory?” Dean asked. “Sam wasn’t watching over him then.”

“It would have had to be Gabriel,” Castiel said.

It had to have been at least a year since Dean and Sam listened to those messages from Kevin, during the time that he was on his own. Part of that time was spent in Crowley’s company, but most of it had been hiding out on his own. Gabriel had to be watching out for him then. And, if he wasn’t...well, Dean was going to make him pay for that. Kevin might be alive if Gabriel was doing his job.

“And where is Gabriel?” Dean demanded.

“I do not know,” Cas replied.

“Well, find him!” Dean yelled. “I don’t care if there is a new prophet now that Kevin is gone. Kevin...he was like family. Sam and I practically adopted him into the family; and we don’t leave family behind. I won’t do it to Kevin.”

“Gabriel has hidden himself too well,” Cas said. “He has done so for hundreds of years. He must have honed that skill well. We would not be able to find him. Not unless he wants to be found. You and Sam have only ever stumbled upon Gabriel by accident.”

Dean didn’t care. If Gabriel was the only one who could help Kevin, then he needed to be found. “Go find him,” Dean repeated. “I don’t what it takes, you are going to find that douchebag and drag him back kicking and screaming.”

“Dean, I do not think…” Castiel started.

“Oh, yeah, sure,” Dean muttered. “Like I’m going to care. He’s alive and he is going to get dragged into this. He might be the only one who can put Metatron and those rogue factions in their place.” And, if Gabriel could do that, it would partially make up for all the horrible things that the Trickster archangel did to them over the years.

“That would be possible,” Castiel acknowledged.

“Of course it would,” Dean retorted. “But, the only way that’s possible is for Gabriel to show up! Now, get out there and look for him!”

Castiel disappeared, only after going outside of the bunker. Dean didn’t really pay attention to what was going on, choosing only to focus on the fact that he was once again alone in the bunker. Well, not so much alone, but Dean would rather avoid Crowley. It was easier that way. That demon was an annoying little shit.

About the only thing that Dean could think of for the moment was the possibility of getting back what was lost. It wouldn’t be everything, but it would certainly be enough to keep him from being alone.

Dean headed for the library, looking for something that would help them face off with Metatron, Bartholomew, and Malachi. There was something in the Men of Letters bunker that could help them. He wasn’t sure what it was, or where the information could be found. No, the only thing that Dean was sure of at the moment was that the kid he promised to take care of was dead; all because that stupid Trickster angel wasn’t watching over his charge.

Damn it! What the hell was he supposed to do? Neither Sam nor Kevin was around to do their usual research. Sam was God knows where and Kevin was dead. Dean slammed a hand against the wall, trying to get his frustrations out. This was too much. Ever since the angels fell from Heaven, Sam and Dean had been dealing with nothing but trouble. Those damn trials! It was the cause of everything, as much as he did not want to think about it.

Grabbing a few books from the wall, Dean threw them down on the table and slumped down. The thickest book was opened and Dean began scanning their pages for anything that might help them out of this situation. Anything to keep him from needing to turn to Crowley for help.

“ARE YOU GOING TO COME BACK DOWN HERE?” a voice yelled.

“PROBABLY NOT!” Dean called.

“OH, AND RISK BEING ALL BY YOUR LONESOME?” Crowley laughed.

Dean tried not to react to the demon’s taunts. He spent the last few years trying to avoid this. And he was not going to start now. He simply ignored Crowley’s yells, focusing on the book sitting in front of him.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat around staring at the book; however, he was sure that it was long enough to start grating on his nerves. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t be the one to research things. A man of action. That was all he was. It was all he would ever be.

When he and Sam were growing up, it was always assumed that Dean was a carbon copy of his father. He did everything that Dad ever told him. Usually, that involved watching out for his baby brother, making sure that Sam was safe. But, anything Dad ever told him; Dean would always listen. It was just how he was raised. He was Michael’s sword for a reason, or so Gabriel claimed. But, after meeting Mom, Dean could not say the same. He was very much like his mother. That was just how he was. Dean was not suited to being stuck in the library researching. Sam or Kevin could be that person; it just couldn’t be Dean.

“Damn it!” Dean yelled. “Why must this be so difficult?”

“YOU MIGHT WANT TO GIVE UP?” Crowley yelled. “YOU’RE NOT GOING TO FIND ANYTHING!”

“NOW, WHY WOULD I EVER TRUST A DEMON?” Dean countered.

“WHY DO YOU TRUST THE MOOSE?” Crowley pointed out. “WHY DID YOU EVER TRUST A BOTTOM FEEDER LIKE MEG?”

Dean gritted his teeth to keep from answering. He would not allow this to continue. Such a distraction was only going to delay this. The hunter buried himself in the books and continued searching for anything, anything that would end this war with Metatron. He wanted this to be over. But, that was never going to happen. There was always going to be some trouble in the hunter community that needed to be dealt with. Like there wasn’t some other hunter who could handle the major problems that the world faced.

“Dean, Dean, Dean, what did you get yourself into this time?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't going to make it that easy for them. Okay, so I almost did. But, I needed a way to bring Gabriel back and this seemed to be the easiest solution. It was confirmed that Gabriel wasn't dead. If that's true, why didn't Kevin have an archangel protector the way that Chuck did?


	3. Resurrection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A confrontation leads to a new lease on life.

At the sound of the new voice, Dean spun around only to find a short angel sucking on a lollipop standing in the bunker. Castiel was standing at his side. “I believe you asked for Gabriel,” the trench-coated angel said.

“You bet I did!” Dean grumbled.

“Now, what was so important that you felt the need to pull me here?” Gabriel asked. He looked around. “Nice place. Better than those cheap motel rooms I’ve seen you staying at over the years.”

“It’s practically in the family,” Dean said. Gabriel was about to say something when Dean stopped him. “No, you cannot start rummaging around in the kitchen. After what you did, I’m not in the mood to grant you such a luxury.” Gabriel would probably spend half his time making every confectionary known to man, and probably a few that he picked up from his time as Loki. And besides, that kitchen was his haven. It reminded Dean of a time in which the only thing that mattered was keeping watch over Sammy. But, now; things were very different.

When they found the bunker, Dean practically claimed the kitchen for his own. It was a connection to his past, a time when things were good. Cooking was like a comfort for him. Kind of like working on a car. Maybe once all of this was over - once they had a chance to settle down into a normal life - Dean would look into developing that skill.

“Let’s hear it, Dean-o,” Gabriel said. “Why am I here?”

Dean gestured behind him, where Kevin’s body was still laying. “Explain this,” he ordered. “It was made very clear when we ran into Chuck that every prophet is meant to have an archangel protector. If you’re still alive, how come you weren’t watching out for Kevin? Why weren’t you there to make sure nothing happened to him?”

“Is that really what this is about?” Gabriel scoffed.

“Well, duh!” Dean exclaimed. “Why else would I willingly talk to you?”

“Well, if you hadn’t noticed there, Dean; this place isn’t easily locatable,” Gabriel argued. “I only even found it because Cassie here showed me where it was. Otherwise, I never would have known where you were hiding out. I never would have been able to watch over Kevin Tran while he was down here in the bunker. This place is hidden even from me. And, if I can’t find it, that makes my job harder. So, don’t you try pinning this on me. It is not entirely my fault.”

“And you’re the one who let us think you were dead!” Dean exclaimed. “We might have considered it if you hadn’t been such a dick about letting us know that you were around.” He pointed over to Kevin. “Now heal him! You’re the only one who can do it, so you’re going to do the job you skipped out on and then help us deal with the issue that was allowed to occur because _you_ weren’t around to keep Metatron in line.” When they initially found Metatron, he asked about the archangels. If Gabriel made his presence known back then, maybe the angels never would have fallen.

“Metatron?” Gabriel questioned. “It has been a long time since I saw him.”

“Did you see the _meteor shower_ from a few months ago?” Dean asked him.

“Yes, why would that matter though?” Gabriel wondered.

“Maybe because Metatron was the one responsible for the spell that purged the angels from Heaven!” Dean screamed. “Cas was human for a time because it was his grace that was used to enact the spell. Now, maybe if you were around, Metatron might not have been able to eject the angels from Heaven.”

“Quick to blame me, aren’t you?” Gabriel asked him.

“Well, who else can I blame?” Dean snarled.

“Dean, you should not blame Gabriel,” Castiel said mournfully. “You should blame me. If I did not put my trust in Metatron, the angels would still be in Heaven and we would not be in this mess.”

“Don’t put yourself down, Cassie,” Gabriel advised. “We’ll fix this. I believe I need to have a nice long chat with Metatron. He knows better than to do something so stupid. Now, the prophet; let’s see him, shall we?”

“His name is Kevin Tran!” Dean snapped.

“I _know_ that,” Gabriel said tiredly. “Not the sort of thing I’m likely to forget.”

“I have told you before, Dean; the names of the prophets are burned into the brains of every angel,” Castiel said. “To not know the name Kevin Tran is akin to blaspheme.”

“Then he should have been watching out for him,” Dean muttered. He said this once before and he would say a million times before it sunk in for the Trickster archangel. “None of this would be happening if Gabriel would simply do what was required of him. Hell, if he didn’t skip out of Heaven, things would have turned out very differently.”

“Not as differently as you would tend to believe,” Gabriel argued. “Things were always headed towards the apocalypse. My leaving would have nothing to do with that. I might have been able to influence Metatron a little more, but not much else. Nor did I care at the time, Dean-o.”

“You should have!” Dean yelled.

“There was no way that I could have known that any of this was going to happen,” the archangel warned. “Stop blaming me for all the trouble that you and the Sasquatch got into.” He looked around. “Where _is_ the Sasquatch?”

Dean didn’t want to tell Gabriel about the mistake he made. The Trickster archangel would probably taunt him for what happened. The two of them never got along. Sam always thought it was because they were too alike. That, he supposed, was a possibility; one that he didn’t want to think about. It was a scary thought.

“Sam is gone,” Castiel said.

“Gone?” Gabriel questioned. “Out on a hunt of his own?”

“No,” Dean grumbled. “There wouldn’t be a problem if he was out on a hunt.” But, Sam hadn’t been right since the trials and Dean never would have let his younger brother go on a hunt by himself.

“What’s going on?” Gabriel asked him.

Cas remained silent. However, he gave Dean a pointed look. Dean’s eyes narrowed. Why couldn’t Castiel be the one who explained this? Why did it have to be him? “We tried closing the gates of Hell,” Dean said. “Sam was doing the trials. Only…” He let the thought drop; he couldn’t bring himself to say what happened.

“Only…” Gabriel repeated.

“He nearly died during the trials,” Dean said. They never thought that closing the gates of Hell would turn out to be a bad thing. While it would have put to rest all their troubles when it came to demons, the price of doing so was too high to pay. “I had to trick Sam into letting an angel in so that he could be healed. Except the angel that I thought it was; it turned out to be a very different angel. I don’t know which one it is, nor can I question him since he left the bunker.” He wanted to know sort of angel would dare impersonate another in order to help Sam.

“And Cassie doesn’t know either?” Gabriel asked.

“I was barely around him these last few months,” Castiel explained.

“I see why that would be a problem,” the archangel mused. “How about locating him?”

“No can do,” Castiel informed his brother. “Sam and Dean are hidden from angels. Enochian markings on their ribs. It was a way to keep Michael and Lucifer from coming after them directly. Even after the apocalypse was averted, there was never a reason to remove them.”

“How about the demons?” Gabriel suggested.

“I doubt they would be willing to help,” Castiel said.

“I’ve got Crowley in the dungeon,” Dean supplied.

Gabriel looked at him in shock. “You two muttonheads actually kept a demon alive?”

“Crowley’s the King of Hell since Lucier was thrown in the Cage,” Dean snapped. “We thought he might be useful. And, so far, he has. It seemed like a good resource to have.” Although, he was less willing to go to Crowley if Castiel and Gabriel were here.

“You might want to have a talk to him,” Gabriel suggested. “He might be the only one who can locate the Sasquatch and find a way to get the angel out of him. As for Kevin, that’s easier said than done.” He walked over to where Kevin’s lifeless corpse was laying and placed a hand on his forehead.

Just as before, a white light engulfed Kevin. The light faded after a moment and Kevin sat up. He was back normal. Dean let out a breath he wasn’t even aware he was holding and cautiously approached him. After everything that Kevin went through during the last two years, Dean and Sam had practically accepted him into the family. He was an honorary Winchester.

“What happened?” Kevin asked, looking around. He spotted Gabriel. “Who are you?”

“Just call me your protector, kiddo,” Gabriel shrugged. He conjured a Snickers bar and started munching on it.

“ _Oh_ ,” he replied. “The last thing I remember...Dean, did I die?”

“Yeah, buddy,” Dean nodded. “I tried to stop it, but I was knocked out.”

Kevin glared at him. “You said nothing was going to happen to me.”

He let Kevin down, just as he let Sammy down. “I know I did, Kevin,” he murmured. Kevin’s death was unexpected. There did not appear to be a reason for it. Not as far as Dean could tell. But, maybe _Sam_ could help with that. The angel possessing Sam had to have been the one with all the answers. “But, I never thought there would be a reason in which you were targeted. I don’t even know why it happened.”

“So long as those engraving on on your ribs, Crowley is the only one who can help with that,” Gabriel said. “I believe visit to the dungeon is in order.”

“I think it would be best if I stayed behind,” Castiel replied.

“How come?” Gabriel asked.

“Crowley and I are not on the best of terms,” the trench-coated angel said. “I double-crossed him so that I could win the civil war against Raphael.”

“I’m not going anywhere near Crowley,” Kevin grumbled as he picked himself up off the floor. “In fact, I’m going to go clean up.”

“I’ll go with,” the archangel declared as Kevin left the room.

“Oh, you’re actually going to get involved?” Dean snarled.

“Don’t see why not,” Gabriel shrugged. “Now, get down there.”

Dean didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to involve Crowley. “Fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Kevin is back. Now, if only the show would do that. Speaking of the show, the new few chapters are based on the promo for the first episode of the new year.
> 
> On another note, this video: http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7Z8p/directv-road-trip. I watched it within a week of the season eight finale. WORST. DECISION. OF. MY. LIFE.


	4. Search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A deal with the devil is made to find Sam.

It would have been so much better if there was no reason to involve Crowley. But, from everything he heard, the only way that Dean was ever going to get his brother back was if Crowley offered his assistance. To do that, however, would involve something that Dean was not willing to give. Crowley’s freedom. It was the only thing the demon desired. But, to give him such a thing; that was dangerous.

“Get going, Dean-o,” Gabriel prodded when Dean started taking too long. “If you want your brother back, the demon is the only one who can help you. You know that. And if anything happens to Gigantor, you would never be able to forgive yourself. You don’t know which angel is possessing your brother; and, so long as you don’t know that, there isn’t much you can do.”

“I _am_ aware of that!” Dean snapped.

“Don’t stall then,” the archangel warned.

Dean wanted to punch Gabriel’s lights out. The only reason he didn’t was because the archangel was probably one of the most knowledgeable - if not the biggest douche - being that Dean knew. He thought maybe there was something that Gabriel could help them with. He should have known better.

The pair reached the dungeon where Crowley merely stared at them. “And what has brought you down here?” the demon asked.

“I can’t do this,” Dean grumbled.

Before he could back out of the room, Gabriel grabbed him by the collar. “Oh no you don’t! You want your brother back, you’re going to ask the one person who can help. Now, get to it, Dean-o, Either you do it, or you lose your brother.”

“What’s this?” Crowley asked.

“None of your damn business!” Dean snapped.

“Now, you don’t mean that,” Gabriel accused.

“I want my brother back, but I don’t know about this,” Dean said. “Letting Crowley out of here is a bad idea.” There had to be another way to help Sam.

“I can help you,” Crowley insisted.

“For the only thing I’m not willing to give,” Dean muttered.

“I save Sam, I walk out of here a free man,” Crowley said. “That’s all I’m asking for here. And you _do_ want your brother back, don’t you?”

“Sounds like a fair deal,” Gabriel agreed.

“Are you kidding me?” Dean scoffed. “That’s a terrible idea.”

“What other choice do you have, Dean?” Gabriel countered. “With those sigils on the ribs, Crowley is the only one who can accurately determine where Sam could have gone.” He snapped his fingers and Crowley’s restraints were off. “The minute you deviate from the deal, I’ll make you wish that you were sitting in this dungeon.” The archangel paused for a moment. “Oh - and you stay away from Kevin Tran. He’s been put through enough because of you. Don’t think I wasn’t watching.”

“You take all the fun out of life,” Crowley moaned.

“At least you’re getting your freedom,” Gabriel said. “And make sure that Abbadon is dealt with. No one needs her running around.”

“Never thought I would say this, but I agree with Gabriel,” Dean said. That was a shock in and of itself. He was not known for agreeing with anything that Gabriel spoke of. Not after everything he did. But, these were extenuating circumstances. Sam was not in a good place right now.

“Good,” Gabriel nodded. “Now, it’s time to get to it.”

Dean huffed. This was not going to go well. Not as well as Gabriel hoped that it would. He pointed a finger in the archangel’s direction. “The minute this goes bad, I’m blaming you.” This was Gabriel’s idea.

“And what if I turn out to be right?” Gabriel asked him.

Dean remained silent. He could not imagine an instance in which Gabriel was right. Crowley might be a demon of his word - honoring his deals - but, there was a pretty good chance that something would go wrong. Usually did when they were dealing with Crowley. “And how are we supposed to handle this?” Dean snapped.

“I’m going to need some specific materials in order to cast the spell,” Crowley informed him.

“What do you need?” Dean asked with a scowl.

* * *

Two hours later - after gathering all the necessary ingredients for the spell; even with access to angels, it took awhile to acquire everything Crowley needed to find Sam - Dean found himself in the Impala along with Gabriel, Cas, and Crowley. Gabriel and Crowley were in the backseat, annoying the hell out of Dean. Most of that was Crowley, of course. “And where is Sam then?” Dean asked.

“Oh, not too far,” Crowley said, leaning forward from the back seat.

“This better not take too long,” Dean growled.

“I offered to transport us there,” Gabriel said.

“Like I would ever let that happen,” Dean argued. “ _You_ taking us anywhere...yeah, never going to happen.” Trusting Gabriel was difficult after everything he did to him and Sam.

“We’ll do it your way then,” the archangel shrugged.

Dean glanced in the rearview mirror, shooting him a look before his attention returned to the road. None of this was going to plan. Letting Crowley leave the bunker was a bad idea. But, Gabriel and Cas had a point; the only way that Sam would ever be found was if they involved the demon. The sigils on their ribs were still there. An unfortunate complication when it came to getting his brother back in his own body. “Where, Crowley?” he snarled. “Where did the angel in Sam go?”

“He didn’t make it too far from that little secret base of yours?” Crowley said. “The angel inside of him - whoever that might be - is still too weak. Shouldn’t be too difficult for you to subdue him. Then I can get my hands on him and start digging inside his head.”

Dean almost veered off the road upon hearing that. “WHAT?”

“How else do you expect to get answers?” the demon countered.

“You’re NOT torturing my brother!” Dean yelled.

“Well, he’s not exactly your brother now, is he?” Crowley argued. “He won’t even feel what I plan on doing.”

“It’s still his body,” Dean argued, his fist clenched tightly on the wheel. He wasn’t about to let Sam’s body come to any harm. Even if Sam was not aware of his actions, he was still in there - buried deep inside. Letting anything happen to his brother was not about to happen; he wouldn’t permit it. “If you really think that I’m going to let you torture my brother, you’ve got another thing coming, Crowley.”

Cas turned back to look at the demon. “You will not harm Sam Winchester.”

“Then it’s a good thing that the the Moose isn't conscious at the moment, isn’t it?” Crowley smirked. “He won’t feel a thing.”

“What a lovely idea,” Dean bit out sarcastically. “And what about _after_ Sam is restored to his body?”

“Not my problem,” the demon shrugged.

Not his… Not his problem? The minute they were out of this car was the same moment in which Dean was going to throttle the demon who thought he could harm Sam.

“You really don’t want to do that,” Gabriel advised. “Harm him and you’ll never get a moment’s peace. Especially not from Dean-o.”

Dean hated when he and Gabriel agreed with one another. It usually meant that there was something horrible coming, something that both of them could see. “Where?” Dean snarled. “Where. Is. My. Brother?”

“Convenient store just up the road,” Crowley said in a huff.

Dean practically sped up towards the convenient store Crowley spoke of and was about to race into the place when Gabriel held him back. “Oh no you don’t.”

“What are you…?” he started. “GABRIEL!”

“You’re not going anywhere near this,” Gabriel informed him. “The minute you’re seen, Sam will flee; and we’ll have no idea where is.”

“What are we supposed to do then?” Dean demanded.

“You really are dense,” the archangel muttered. “It’s a wonder that you were able to beat my foolhardy brothers.” He grinned. “You have me. Sam - or whoever the angel inside him is - won’t be expecting me. _I’m_ the best chance you have at getting your brother back.”

“Excuse me if I don’t believe you,” Dean countered. Though Gabriel happened to be one of the few angels that ever helped them to any degree, he was still on Dean’s shit list. The archangel had a lot to make up for and it was doubtful that such a thing was ever going to happen. “You trapped Sam in a time loop for over three months, all to teach him a lesson. You trapped us in TV land to force us to say yes to your asshole brothers. I’d sooner trust Crowley to deal with this than I would ever trust you.”

“I’m still all you’ve got,” he countered. Gabriel popped out of the car. With a snap of his fingers, the doors were locked. Dean tried pulling the lock up, but found that it would not budge. “Did you really think that I was going to let you go anywhere near your brother when you’re this agitated? I don’t think so. Hold on there, Dean. You’ll have your brother back soon.”

Dean slumped back into the seat. He didn’t think there was a chance for this to work. Hell, Gabriel practically invited himself on this little road trip of theirs. The archangel should have been watching over Kevin, making sure that he was fully recovered from his brief brush with death.

“Do not look so unhappy,” Castiel consoled. “I am sure that Gabriel will be able to retrieve Sam.”

“You might have faith in your brother,” Dean grumbled, “but I don’t. Not after what he did.”

Only a few minutes passed before Gabriel returned to the Impala, an unconscious Sam at his side. “Now, really, Dean? Have a little faith. Of course I was going to get your brother back. Now, I believe there is much that needs to be done if we’re going to get a answers regarding who was possessing your brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me awhile. It had me stumped regarding how I wanted to approach this. But, anyway, this story is about to go majorly AU when the new episode airs. While I took a few cues from the preview of the episode, the likelihood of this happening in the show; it's pretty slim.


	5. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crowley goes digging for answers

“Are you sure about this, Dean?” Castiel asked.

“It’s not as if I have much of a choice,” Dean snapped. Gabriel made it very clear that the only way he was ever going to get his brother back was if he allowed Crowley to dig inside Sam’s head. The entire trip back to the bunker; that was all he heard. “You heard what your brother said. The only way I’m ever going to get Sam back - back to the way he was - is if I let Crowley do his thing.” Dean hated it, but that might be the only way that he might ever get answers.

“You must be careful,” Castiel warned him.

“You think I don’t know that?” Dean asked. Oh, he knew. He knew better than anyone what Crowley could do.

“You must not let your emotions get the best of you,” Castiel said.

Dean didn’t need a reminder. Relying on his emotions over the years caused so many different things to happen, none of them good. What would happen...what would happen if he set aside his emotions and simply allowed Crowley to start digging inside Sam’s head.

“Well?” a voice asked.

At the sound of that voice, Dean’s head snapped up. “Get to it,” Dean snarled. He didn’t want his baby brother to go through such horrors, but it seemed to be the only chance he would ever have at getting the answers he sought. Like which angel was really possessing his brother, which angel he was going to beat to a pulp.

“Oh, I have every intention of digging into the Moose’s head,” Crowley said.

Of course Crowley would jump at the chance to go poking inside his brother’s head. It would give him access to a hunter’s brain, and try to use that to his advantage. As if Dean was surprised by any of that. He wasn’t.

“I’m not sure if I can watch this,” Dean growled.

Crowley appeared ambivalent to the whole thing. “Suit yourself. I don’t need you around to start poking through your brother’s head. In fact, it’s probably if you weren’t around. I have no doubt that you would put a stop to the interrogation.”

Unfortunately, that was probably true. Watching his younger brother being _interrogated_ by Crowley; it would only cause him to try to interfere, and he would never get any answers. That was the only thing that mattered right now; learning the identity of the angel who thought tricking him was a good idea.

Dean had not yet left the room before Crowley started sticking needles in Sam’s head. He winced at the sight of it. The whole thing reminded him of two things; both items that he never wanted to think about. The first was simple: he never wanted to see his brother in pain. The second item, however, was far more difficult; it was a reminder of his time in Hell, the time he spent with Alastair. The ten years that he spent torturing souls in Hell. “I need to get out of here,” Dean grumbled. Before he was consumed in the memories that haunted him even now.

“Queasy?” Gabriel asked him, munching on a Hershey’s bar as he watched the interrogation.

“No,” Dean snapped. “I just don’t want to see my younger brother suffer through this.”

“You know that he has to,” Gabriel countered. “It’s the only way that you will ever learn the answer to your questions.”

Dean shrugged. He didn’t care. “You and Cas can watch. I can’t. Besides, I need to go make sure that Kevin isn’t suffering any after-effects from his death and subsequent resurrection.” Kevin was like a brother to him. Like Sam was. Like Adam would have been if he were allowed to get to know the kid. With that, he stormed away from the dungeon and went to see how Kevin was holding up.

He never got to the upper levels of the bunker. To his utter disgust, Dean was called back into the storeroom where the interrogation was taking place. “What now?” Dean grumbled, glaring at the demon king.

“I found something,” Crowley replied.

“Something useful?” Dean challenged.

“Everything is useful, when put into context,” Crowley countered.

“And what sort of context is this supposed to be?” Dean demanded. He didn’t expect much out of this, not when Crowley was the only person who could properly interrogate Sam; to get the necessary answers to deal with Metatron. After all, what were the chances that Crowley would willingly offer up their answers?

“Watch and see,” Crowley said, prodding one of the needles in Sam’s brain.

“ _Zir noco iad Gadreel_ ,” _Sam_ said as the needle poked his brain.

“What is that supposed to be?” Dean demanded.

“Not a clue,” Crowley admitted. He turned to the angels. “Hey, Feather-brains, any ideas here?”

“I thought it was a legend,” Castiel murmured.

“I could have told you differently,” Gabriel shrugged. He was now sucking on an orange popsicle.

“I’m missing something here,” Dean muttered.

“Sure are, Dean-o,” Gabriel replied. “It’s a name. The name of the angel who is possessing Samsquatch over here. Gadreel. He was the angel charged with protecting the Garden of Eden. He is the reason that the serpent of legend - my asshole of a brother - was granted access to that small piece of paradise. Man was corrupted because of him. Dear old dad left because of what Gadreel did.” He glared at Sam’s body. “He’s responsible for everything that happened. I remember Gadreel being punished, thrown into angel jail for allowing Dad’s most cherished creation to become so twisted. He was supposed to be there for the rest of his days.”

“Until Metatron expelled the angels from Heaven using my grace,” Castiel realized. “This is my fault.”

“No, it’s not, Cassie,” Gabriel cautioned. “It’s _Metatrash_. He played on your sympathies, your desire to try to help the other angels. You had no way of knowing what _Metatrash_ really wanted. Don’t you dare blame yourself.”

“What do I do instead?” Castiel asked.

“You fight,” Gabriel answered.

Dean did not like agreeing with Gabriel; but, in this case, he was right. The only thing that could be done to deal with this was to get rid of Metatron. He was the cause of this; why they were in the middle of this - as always. “It would be helpful though if we had more than a name,” Dean muttered. “Maybe the reason this is happening.”

“I’m working as fast as I can,” Crowley snapped. “Kind of difficult when you’re interrupting my process, Squirrel.”

“Your process?” Dean scoffed. “Doesn’t look like much of a process.”

“Why don’t you wait and see,” Crowley suggested.

Dean was never going to believe in the demon. Though Crowley was an occasional ally to the Winchester brothers - especially in the fight against Lucifer; an unofficial member of Team Free Will - he was still a demon. He was as untrustworthy as they come.

Crowley continued shoving the silver instruments into Sam’s head. Dean cringed at the sight of it. He might have done some torturing in his time, but it was nothing like this.

“Why did you kill Kevin Tran?” Crowley asked.

That was a good question. Why did Gadreel feel the need to kill Kevin? It made no sense.

“It was an order from Metatron,” Gadreel answered in a monotone. “An act of good faith to show that I was truly on his side; that I would not betray him.”

“Why did Metatron want your help?” Crowley asked.

“He is lonely up there. He wishes to create a new order in Heaven,” Gadreel said. “I was to be his right-hand man.”

“Idiot,” Gabriel snarled. “An idiot with delusions of grandeur.”

“Would that even work?” Dean wondered.

“Absolutely not,” Gabriel answered. “ _Metatrash_ might have been Father’s scribe, but he is nowhere near powerful enough to pull on something like that. He was but a lowly angel when Father plucked him out of obscurity and thrust him into one of the great importance. He could never do this. Not without consequences. One of the archangels certainly, but not him.”

“Basically you then,” Dean countered.

“You’re catching on,” Gabriel noted.

“Not too hard,” Dean muttered.

“There was a time long ago when it took you and your brother several days to catch on to some of my antics,” Gabriel recalled. 

“Fun times?” Dean asked. “Fun times? You killed me! Several times!”

“Oh, quit whining,” Gabriel warned. “You’ve killed me.”

“That was different,” Dean countered.

“Doesn’t seem so different to me,” the archangel insisted.

Dean glared at the candy-loving archangel. “You weren’t one the receiving end of those deaths. I may not remember them, but Sam does. A hundred and two deaths.” Or so he was told. “Why, I imagine that it was your influence that sent him running to Ruby for help in trying to kill Lilith. And, if that happens to be true, it would mean that you were ultimately responsible for causing what you were so desperately trying to avoid.” Dean recalled a time when Gabriel was attempting to force him and Sam into saying yes to Michael and Lucifer; so the Apocalypse could run its course and the Trickster angel could resume his normal antics. If there was no running from destiny - as so many people tried to tell him (most notable Zachariah and all four archangels) - was it possible that Gabriel inadvertently caused everything? Hmm? Something to consider.

“It would be best not to argue,” Castiel spoke up. “There is much to be done.”

Unfortunately, that was true. There was a great deal more that Gadreel needed to be questioned about. He knew more than he was saying. He might have some information on Metatron, something they could use to get rid of him. While it would probably be easier if they simply used an angel blade on him, Dean wasn’t so sure they should do that. Metatron deserved something far more cruel; more fitting for all the pain he caused the rest of the angels.

“What do we want to do about Metatron?” Dean asked.

“That’s a good question,” Gabriel considered.

If they did not simply use an angel blade to get rid of Metatron, there were a great many things that Dean wished to do to the angel scribe. Metatron was responsible for what happened to Kevin. Gadreel might have been the one to do the deed, but Metatron was the one to order it. Therefore, it was Metatron who would be held responsible for everything that happened during the last six months.

“Well?” Dean asked. “Got an answer?”

“Metatron is not much of a threat,” Gabriel countered. “Not so long as you’ve got me on your side. I’m the only one who could properly recreate Heaven as _Metatrash_ is intending. Michael and Lucifer are still locked away in the Cage and Raphael was killed by Cassie over here. No need to focus on any of that. Not right now. But, the other two factions warring for control - that _is_ something we need to concern ourselves with.”

“Bartholomew and Malachi,” Castiel answered. “They are the leaders of the two factions fighting for control in the war against Metatron.”

“Bartholomew...which one was he again?” Gabriel wondered.

“He worked under Naomi,” Castiel answered.

“Naomi?” Gabriel questioned. “That pencil-pusher? The one with the stick up her ass.”

“One way of putting it,” Dean muttered.

“Yes, well...I never did agree with the way my brothers ran Heaven,” Gabriel replied. “There was a reason I left after Lucifer was cast out of Heaven. I couldn’t watch as Michael and Raphael took over the place, shaping it into something I did not recognize.”

“You should have come back,” Castiel berated. “Things would have been far better if you were in charge of things. Easier to endure certainly. And, I might have had more of a chance against Raphael.” He glared at Crowley. “I would not have needed to turn to the King of Hell for help.”

“Of course you were going to turn to me for help,” Crowley countered.

“Do not be too sure about that,” Gabriel warned. “If I was around, there never would have been a need for you.”

“So you claim,” Crowley argued. He gestured over to where Sam’s body was tied up. “Are there any more questions you wish to ask of the angel in Moose clothing?”

“None right now,” Dean said.

“In that case…bye.” In an instant, Crowley was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we have officially veered into AU territory here. Not that I'm surprised by that in any way, of course. I knew that there was no way that Carver and the rest of the writers would write things as I did. Oh well...this is why we have fanfiction.

**Author's Note:**

> In the aftermath of watching Holy Terror, I could think of only one thing I wanted to happen; I wanted revenge on Metatron. So, I started writing. Not sure how long it's going to be, but I have no doubt that it will go AU after January 14th.


End file.
